Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Aquatics
Vegetable
Origin
Eastern Europe, Western Asia
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Common Cattail, Southern Cattail, Dwarf Bulrush
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Number of Varieties
305
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lake margins, Ponds, Swamps
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-11-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12*7
Sunset Zone
21,22
H1, H2, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm24.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Green, Brown, Chocolate
Red, Green, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light brown, Light Red
White, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Brown
Purple, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long linear and narrow
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Poorly Drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, In Water
Ground
How to Plant?
Runners
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Plant grows in water
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
In Summer
Aquatic Plant
Average Water
In Spring
Aquatic Plant
Moderate
In Winter
Aquatic Plant
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Poorly Drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune in early spring, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, Phosphate
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Flying insects
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Showy Purposes, Water gardening
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Food for birds, Food for insects, Nesting sites for birds
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Nutrients
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Leaves
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Container, Water Gardens
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
TYPHA minima
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Dwarf Cattail
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
बौना कैटेल
पोई
In German
Dwarf Rohrkolben
Malabarspinat
In French
Cattail nain
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
Espadaña enano
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
Νάνος Cattail
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Tifa Dwarf
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
Dwarf Ożypałka
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
Pumilio Cattail
Spinach Malabar
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Poales
Caryophyllales
Family
Typhaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Typha
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
160
1
27800
👆🏻